Coin changing mechanism



1954 s. L. CHILDERS ET AL 2,667,880

COIN CHANGING MECHANISM Filed Feb. 11, 1952 SPENCER L. CH/LDERS WILLIAM B. WARREN INVENTORY Hub-bum, BEEHLER,

WORREL a HE/PZ/G ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 2, 1954 2,667,880 7 COIN CHANGING MECHANISM Spencer L. Childers, Fresno, and William B. Warren, Madera, Calif., assignors to Vendorlator Manufacturing Company, Fresno, Calif., a corporation of California Application February 11, 1952, Serial No. 271,026

6 Claims, (01. 133-2) The present invention relates to coin handling devices and more particularly to improvements in coin-changing mechanisms directed to the minimizing of coin jamming therein and conducive to the smooth trouble-free handling of changemaking coins.

Although the principles of the change-making mechanisms of the present invention are applicable to various types of coin handling devices, they were developed in conjunction with the Coin Changer" comprising the subject matter of United States patent application Serial No. 216,236, filed March 17, 1951, by Spencer L. Childers, William B. Warren and Thomas K. Algor, as co-inventors, and now abandoned. For descriptive convenience, frequent reference is made herein to the coin changer of the specified application which, for brevity, is designated the parent changer.

It is sufficient at this point to observe that the parent changer utilizes a coin drum mounted for rotation about a substantially horizontal axis. The drum is formed with a plurality of axially adjacent coin compartments adapted to receive coins of predetermined denomination therein in individual planes normal to the axis of rotation and with peripheral edges of the coins peripheral-' 1y extended from the drum. The edges of the coins serve certain unlatching functions upon drum rotation with which the instant invention I is not particularly concerned. In rotating the drum it is successively located in a coin receiving position with the compartments upwardly disposed and a coin discharging position with the compartments downwardly disposed.

Upwardly of the drum, the parent changer is provided" with a coin detector which serves to reject spurious objects and all but coins of predetermined denominations and to segregate the accepted coins into individual denominations for delivery to their respective compartments in thedrum.

' To preclude premature cascading of the coins- 2 1 tube is mounted directly below the slotted portion of the coin directing member to receive the coins of the lowest denomination for changemaking purposes. To direct excess coins of the lowest denomination from the top of the tube when the tube is full, an extension of the coin directing member is directed downwardly from the top of the tube to the hopper.

It has been found that in the operation of the parent changer coins of the lowest denomination sometimes, become jammed on edge between the drum and the coin tube, between the drum and the uppermost coin of a stack thereof in the tube, side by side within the slot, and between the drum and the extension of the coin directing means. Further, the parent changer makes provision for the optional employmentof a coin compartment for the coins of a lowest denomination of sufiicient size to accommodate a pair of such coins. It has even been found that the pair of coins occasionally jam in diametric alignment in several of the positions described above. Although such jamming is not frequent, its even occasional occurrence is intolerable in coin controlled vending machines and the like in which continuous trouble-free functioning is essential to profitable operation.

It is an object of. the present invention, therefore, to provide an improved coin-changing mechanism minimizing coin jamming tendencies.

Another object is to provide an improved coin directing member and change accumulating coin tube in a coin changer of the character described.

Another object is to minimize or obviate the jamming of coins as they are fed to, or traveled over, coin accumulating reservoirs in coin changers.

Further objects and advantages will become apparent in the subsequent description in the specification.

In the drawing:

Fig. l is a fragmentary front elevation of a coin changer of'the designated parent type modified to incorporate the principles of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a section taken on line 2 -2 of Fig. 1.

Fig 3 is a sectional view of the coin-changing mechanism, as taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2, but showing certain elements thereof in a successive operational position as subsequently more fullydescribed.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 3 but. showing certain elements thereof in a further advanced position.

Fig. 5 is a section taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

Referring in greater detail to the drawing:

As shown in the copending patent application identified above but not shown in the instant application, the parent coin changer is frequently applied to vending machines having an insulated cabinet in which articles to be vended are stored in, a. chilled condition prior to vending. The insulated cabinet provides a door Hi, fragmentarily illustrated in the accompanying draw ing, having a rear wall l I and a forward wall I Z.

A sheet metal mounting box I7 is located between the rear wall [I and. the front wall i2. 01, the door l having a back wall iii and a oor [It with its back wall I8 secured. to. the rear wall it of the door to support the box within the door. A bearing plate 26 transversely spans the front of the mounting box, partiallyenclosingit.

It will be noted that the parent coin manger, previously briefly described, modified to embody the teachings of the. subject, invention... is m on ed. w th he. box IT. A. shaft 22. is itota ahhi mounted in a substantially horizonta p ition etween the b k w ll it and the bearing, plate 2d and is provided with a handle. 23 by which the shaft is rotatable in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Figs. 1,, 3, and i.

A cylindrical coin drum 25 is rigidly mounted concentrically on the shaft 22, and provides a plurality of coin compartments 25 21, and 23 therein. The compartments are. adapted to receive coins of predetermined individual denominations, u h. a n kels, dimes, and quarters. respe iv ly. h rein planes normal; t the trait 22: and with coins therein edgewaifdly extended rom the periphery of the drum- As. evident 7 Figs. 3 nd; 4;, the nickel. compar ment 2.5. is fo med to r ceive a pa r of nickels 25!. and; 30.- The inner nickel 29 may be made captive. as by a pin 31 to reduce. the capacity of the cornnartmentto a single tran ient nick l 36 peripherally extended from the drum. By relnQYal 01' the pin, both of the nickels are transient in nature as required in the vending of articles costing a dime and requiring two nijckels av dime or a quarter for vending purposes. For articles costing a nickel, the pin H is utilized to retain the captive nickel 29 and the coin, changer eperates to render appropriate change for dimes and quarters.

The shaft 22 is illustrated, as mounting a driving cog 33 usually coupled to a vending mechanism, and a ratchet wheel 34. Also shown in the drawing, isa ratchet pawl 35 engaged with the wheel 34 to limit shaft rotation to clockwise progression as viewed in Fig. 1', 3, and 4 and a plurality of change making levers 36 coupled to a change delivering slide mechanism 31in a manner shown and described in the above identified patent application. A lever is aligned with the dime compartment 2'! and another lever with the quarter compartment so that. when change is. required for a dime... the. dime. lever is operated by dime engagement as the. drum. rotated, and so that when change. is required for a quarter the quarter lever is operated by quarter engagement as. the. drum is rotated.

A, funnelmember 40. is mounted in the. box lg'i above the drum Z and provides passages. therethrough individually vertically aligned wi h. the compartments 25, 2?, and 28. when the drum is in coin-receiving position.

An arcuate coin-directing member ll is mounted on the backwall 58 and extended from a peel,- tion laterally adjacent to the drum concentri- 7 onthe change-delivering slide mechanism 31 and serves to. supply change-making coins to said mechanism... A locking pawl 38 is extended transverse-1y of. thezchange-making levers 35 and is so associated with. the drum'25 that until a lever is raised. to release the pawl, rotation of the drum beyond a predetermined point is precluded thereby. An extension 43 of the coin-directing member 4| is extended downwardly from the coin-directing member to a. ccin accumulating hopper. not. shown. ,llct only i the coin-d rectins. mem r 41' mounted: on. the back wall. it but for iurtner dependable support... a plate 5 1 is ounted the box 11 in spaced. relation to the back wall forwardly adjacent to, the coincl lr t n mem r and npcrts said members. by m ns of s rewd d bol s 5t extended. therehrough- The t ctur d i ed to this point is es sentially as shown and described in greater dee ail in. h bove en ifi d: p nt app c ti n. The present invention is. concerned, with modifications in. h n-d rec ing member 4L and oin u e is. and additio s ther to- As he s aft 2.2; rotated in the p rent hanger. any d m s and quarters rec ived by he r m .25 are directed by th chann s 4.47 and. E5 to the extension '19 for gravitation discharge d wn the extension Any ransient nickels' r c ived by th k l c mpartm n 26' are guided y the nickel channel 43' as e drum s. o ted and are dropped into the tube 48 until the tube. is filled subsequent to which they are directed across the uppermost coin in the tube and gravitationally descend the extension. The jammi g in h pa ent hang r occ s. in he droppingof the nickels into the tube or in moving them thereacross for descent on the extensxon.

A nt is n w irect d to the spec fic l n provements. made by the present invention which serve to eliminate the jamming.

7 As evident in Figs. 2. 3. and; l, the niekelcha-nnel 4'3- is slotted, as; at 52, for descent of nickel s therethrough into the tube 48 but in a different position than the parent changer. 'ljhe coindirecting member in is mounted so that the nickel channel .3 extends transverselycliametrically across the upper end. of the coin tube 48. In the parentchanger the nickelcnane nel was slotted from a position in advance or the coin tube transversely thereacross. It has been discovered that a source of jamming is eliminated if the nickel channel 43 is slotted from a position inwardly adjacent to the side of the coin tube 43' from which coins approach the tube during drum rotation, as, indicated at 53; diametrically transversely of the tube and C ownw irdly beyond the; tube to a position soon to be described in greater detail. Further an additiona s u o jam ing s b i ted y s in the ub 4.8 do nw rd yi cm the-upper nd. thereo at th side ppo it that frem'w icn coins. as.

p each he rib n in eiisnnientwl h the set 52. :The inner diameter of the coin tube is preferablysubstantially equal to the diameter of the nickels or other coins to be received therein. The slot 55 is preferably approximately as long as the diameter of the nickel, or other coin, to be received in the tube. By terminating the slot 52 at its upper end 53 at a position intermediate vertical alignment with the center of the tube and the forward side thereof, superior operation is attained. This assures that the nickels will roll in their channel 43 upon drum rotation until their centers have passed vertical alignment with the center of the tube before they descend through the slot 52 and thus, to get into the tube, must gravitate downwardly and backwardly relative to their rolling movement in the channel. As evident in Figs. 3 and 4, the slot 55 accommodates the return movement of the nickel into the tube.

The lower end of the tube slot 55 and the lower end of the slot 52 in the coin-directing member 4! are preferably at substantially the same elevation, as evident in Figs. 3 and 4, and spaced a distance less than the diameter of the tube 48. A headed pin 60 is screw-threadably mounted in the plate 531 in a downwardly disposed position laterally adjacent to the slot 52. A helical spring SI is mounted on the pin and has a leg 52 attached to the plate and a resilient leg 63 extended transversely of the slot 52 at a position vertically aligned with a position intermediate the lower ends of the slots 52 and 55. The leg 63 is spaced from the lower end of the slot 55 a distance less than the diameter of the tube and is spaced from the upper end 53 of the slot 52 a distance approximating but more than the diameter of the tube.

'As a convenience in mounting the coin-directing member 4! with the slot 52 thereof in the precise diametric relation to the tube 3 desired, a shorter slot 55 is formed downwardly from the upper end of the tube 48 in diametric relation to the longer slot 52. A boss 5? is provided on the coin-directing member 4! in alignment with the slot 52 and is fitted downwardly into the shorter slot. The engagement of the boss in the shorter slot is not only an assembling convenience but assures themaintenance of proper relation between the directing member and the tube during extensive operation.

Operation The operation of the present invention is believed to be clearly apparent and is briefly summarized atthis point. Acceptable coins, such as nickels, dimes, and quarters, are delivered to the funnel member by a coin rejector, not shown. If the coin-change mechanism is con ditioned for nickel operation, the location of a nickel in the nickel compartment 26, of a dime in the dime compartment 21, or a quarter in the quarter compartment 28 is adequate to release the mechanism for operation by rotation of the handle 23 and to render change for the dime or quarter.

A dime or a quarter carried by its respective compartment in the drum 25 during rotation lifts its corresponding change-making lever 35, withdrawing the locking pawl 38 and releasing appropriate change therefor as described in the above identified copending patent application. As the drum is rotated, the dime or nickel is rolled down its respective channel 44 and 45 and descends the extension 49 into a hopper, not shown, provided for coin collecting purposes.

When the drum 25 is rotated with a nickel 29 in the compartment 26, the locking pawl 38 is released, as before, but no change is rendered. The nickel is rolled down the nickel channel 43 in the coin-directing member 4! transversely of the top of the tube 48. The bottom of the channel 43 extends inwardly of the tube to a position intermediate the axial center of the drum and the adjacent side thereof, so that the nickel must pass vertical alignment with the center of the drum before dropping into the slot 52. This precludes jamming of the nickel on a stack of nickels confined by the tube and obviates a source of considerable maintenance expense and inconvenience. As the nickel descends in the slot it strikes the leg 63 of the spring GI and is diverted thereby in a reverse path of movement into the tube 58 through the slot 55.

Nickels thus delivered into the tube remain there in stacked relation for use by the change delivery slide mechanism 34, as needed. When the tube is nearly filled, successive nickels roll down the channel 43, drop through the slot 52 onto the top of the stack of nickels, and'roll therefrom onto the leg 63 of the spring; and thence down the extension 49.

When the pin 3| is removed and the changemaking mechanism adapted for reception of a pair of transient nickels 29 and 30 in the compartmerit 25, the path of movement of the first nickel 30 is as described. The following nickel 29 is inclined to follow the same path of movement but with this difierence. If the drum 25 is rotated at a speed causing the following nickel 29 closely to engage the preceding nickel 30, the following nickel is frequently diverted by engagement with the preceding nickel 30 and/or the leg 63 of the spring so that it descends the extension 49 even though the tube 48 may not be entirely filled.

It will be apparent that the spacing of the leg 63 and the bottom of the slot 55 from the drum 25 is such that a single nickel cannot be jammed therebetween. When two transient nickels are.

utilized, and the speed of the drum rotation is such that the two nickels are diametrically aligned between a point of drum engagement and the leg 63 of the spring, as shown in Fig. 4, the spring flexes so that any tendency to jam is obviated and the first nickel descends into the coin drum in the usual manner, or rolls over the leg of the spring as the tube 48 is substantially filled, and down the extension 49. The following nickel similarly either goes into the tube 48 or descends the extension 49.

The present invention has eliminated the described diificulties in coin-change-making mechanisms and other coin handling devices. The modifications and additions to the structure of the parent coin changer are simple and inexpensive but fully effective.

Although the invention has been herein shown and described in what is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent devices and appa-- formed longitudinally thereof downwardly from its: upperend, a. coin directing member mounted on the upper end of the tube having an elongated coin-directing channel therein extended metrically transversely of the tube. and having a slot through the bottom of the channel from a position inwardly adjacent to the side of the coin tube. opposite to the tube slot diametrically transversely of the tube. aligned, with the tube slot and outwardly extended therefrom, and resilient means mounted across the slot in the coin-directing member in spaced relation to the coin tube, elevationally spaced from the bottom of the tube slot a distance less-than the diameter of the tube and spaced from the end of the slot in the directing member that is inwardly adjacent to the side of the tube a distance greater than the diameter of the tube.

2. In a device of the character described the combination of an elongated coin directing member having a substantially horizontal portion, a coin tube mounted in a, substantially erect position below the horizontal portion of the coin di recting member, the coin directing member being longitudinally slotted diametrically of the tube from a position inwardly from a side of the tube transversely of the tube and outwardly from the opposite side of the tube, the tube being vertically slotted downwardly from the upper end thereof in alignment with the slot in the coin direct member and at the side of the tub-e from which the slot in the directing means is outwardly extended, and resilient means mounted transverseiy of the slot in the directing means in spaced relation to the. bottom of the slot in the tube and in somewhat greater spaced relation to the end. of the slot spaced inwardly from theside. of the tube.

3-. In a device of the character described, the combination of a hollow cylindrical coin tube of substantially uniform diameter mounted in a substantially erect position and having slot formed longitudinally thereof downwardly from its upper end a distance less. than the diameter of the tube, and a relatively shorter slot formed downwardly from the upper end of the tube diametrically opposite to the longer slot, a coin directing member having an elongated upwardldisposed channel therein and a downwardly directed boss mounted transversely on the upper end of the tube with the boss in fitted engagement with the shorter tube slot and with the channel transversely extended diametrically across the tube, said coin-directing member having a slot longitudinally of the channel from a position inwardly adjacent to the side of the tube having the shorter slot transversely of the tube in alignment with the longer tube slot and, extended outwardly and downwardly from the side of the tube having the longer slot, and a resilient spring having a leg extended transversely of the slot in the coin-directing member below the channel inv spaced relation to the tube, elevationally spaced from the bottom of the longer slot in the tube a distance less than the diameter of the tube and spaced horizontally and downwardly ircm the end of the slot in the coin-directing member inwardly adjacent to the side of the tube a distance approximating but greater than the diameter of the tube.

4. In a coin-handling device the combination of an elongated coin-directing member having a longitudinal coin directing channel, a substantially cylindrical coin tube of substantially uniform diameter mounted in a substantially erect position vertically aligned below the coin-direct-' me member intermediate apposite. ends thereof, the channel of. the coinsdirectingt member bein diametrically transversely disposed to the coin tube and having a; slot;- therein from. a position inwardly adjacent toa side of the tube extended diametrically transversely of; the tube. and outwardly from the opposite side thereof, the tube having a slot downwardly from the upper edge thereof in alignment with the slot.- in. the'coindirecting member at the side of the tube irom which the slot in the coin, detecting member outwardly extends and, a resilient spring mounted below the slot in the coin-directing member in spaced relation to the tube at the side thereoi from which the slot in the coin-directingv member extends, said spring being spaced from. the end of the slot in the coin directing member iiiwardly adjacent to a side of the tube a distance greater than the diameter of the tube.

5. In, a device of the character described, the combination of a. hollow cylindrical coin tube mounted in a substantially erect position and. having an open upper end, a. coin directing member mounted above the coin tube and, extended transversely thereacross having: an elongated slot therein from a position inwardly adjacent to a side of the tube transversely of the tubeand outwardly from the opposite. side thereof, the tube being vertically slotted downwardly from the upper end thereof in alignment with the slot in the coin directing member and at the side of the tube from which the slot inthe coin directing member is extended, and, resilient means mount ed transversely beneath the slot inthe coin directing member in spaced relation tothe. coin tube against which coins directed individually along the coin directing-member transversely of the tube toward the resilient means are bounced for reverse movement to the tube through the slots and over which coins pass when the tube is substantially full ofv coins. I

6. In a device of the character described, the combination of a hollow cylindrical coin tube mounted in a substantially erect position and. having an open upper end, a coin directing mem-v ber mounted above the coin tube and extended transversely thereacross. having an elongated slot therein from a position inwardly adjacent to. a side of the tube transversely of, the. tube. and cut wardly from the opposite side thereof, the tube being vertically slotted downwardly from the upper end thereof in alignment with the slot in the coin directing member and at the side of the tube from which the slot in the coin dimmingv member is extended, and a spring mounted beneath the coin directing member having a resilient leg extended transversly of the slot in said member a distance from the end of said slot in.- wardly adjacent to a side of the tube a distance approximating the diameter of the tube, at an elevation intermediate the coin directing member and the bottom ofthe slot in the tube, and spaced from the bottom of the slot in the tube a distance less than the diameter of the tube.

SPENCER L. CHILDERS.

WILLIAM B. WARREN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 812,160 Wilkes Feb. 6, 1906 FOREIGN PATENTS. Number Country Date 46,830 Germany Apr. 8, 188!) 

